Loyalty

“LOYALTY” The strongest word in the Samurai vocabulary, Loyalty is thicker than blood, stronger that steel and harder than diamonds. A Samurai would give his life for his retainer and comrades, he would give up his own life at the end of his retainers life for the loss of his ability to serve. What is there to live for if not for service to his people and his retainer?

Oh how the Warrior of today has weakened, “money for nothing and checks for free”. So many things come before loyalty in the weakened warriors of today. No longer do they have a commitment to the service of their people, just the service of oneself and meeting the needs of the ego, the self. How abused is the saying “I’d take a bullet for a friend” “BUT” yes there always is a “but”, isn’t there. They would only take that bullet if it didn’t cause them any grief, discomfort, or misfortune. Only when those weak warriors are on the battlefield will they take that bullet and the word “battlefield” used in the literal definition. Ask them to make a sacrifice for you on the figurative battlefield of life. Go out of their way for a fellow warrior, more often that not you will get excuses and false promises that will never be fulfilled.

Oh how the poser warriors of today have weakened. There are only a few seasoned Warriors that understand the true meaning of Loyalty, Commitment and Sacrifice. It is up to those True Warriors to hold the line and shun the weak ones, shake them off your backs and off the coat tails of your cloaks. These weakened ones will bleed you dry of your spirit and steal your knowledge and life leaned and experienced skills and philosophies only to call them their own and when enough of your spiritual blood has been drained by “them” they will walk away from you on the battlefield of life, leave you for the buzzards and scavengers to pick the last shreds of meat from your bones, never looking back, no care or remorse. They will hide under their newly stolen identities and false characters and tell you, as you lye there broken down and beaten, they will tell you “That is a Warriors fate, that is the costs a warrior must pay, that’s how it goes, only the strong survive” And as your own spirit fades into the spirit world your own quotes and sayings will echo in your ears with a hint of laughter as the poser walks off into the sunset to claim his undeserved unearned rewards, stolen rewards, rewards reserved for the True Warriors, rewards that were earned through sacrifice, right-mindedness, right-actions and loyalties to the Warrior brothers he quietly remembers, those that have earned his loyalty and trust. And they will know who they are because they will feel the shift in the energy of the universe as the True Warrior fades away, one less positive source of energy in the force of the universe.

Young warriors of today, do not succumb to the weaknesses of the posers, the wanna-be’s, follow the True Warriors, keep your mouths shut and learn by experience, learn through action. Watch and learn don’t just assume you are a Warrior because you once watched a Warrior. The True Warriors will accept you into the guild when you have proven yourself, when you have shown your honesty and loyalty on the battlefield of life and made sacrifices in the small matters as well as the large. For the True Warriors know that Warriorship is earned by many years of experiences and hard times. Sacrifices that cost dearly, life’s lessons that are hard learned, tears, pain, honored commitments, never backing down, accepting the battles and battle scars of our own as well as our fellow Warriors, always being at our brother Warriors side through good times and bad, the raising of our own young Warriors, our dedication and love for our wives who are Warriors in their own rights for walking the path at our sides and bearing the brunt of our vented frustrations and sticking next to us in our worst of times and dealing with our misguided bursts of anger.

Young Warriors pay attention, for if you are worthy and prove to be loyal and dedicated the True Warriors will teach you the most valued lessons and the deepest secrets, the real techniques, things only taught to those that earn the right to learn them. Be wary of the false warriors who wish to sell their loyalties for a price, those that buy there reputations and steal the truths from others. Beware those that wish to sell you ideals and concepts because they have no real skills of their own. You will know the ones, they will sell you everything in their bag of tricks except real techniques and skills, just smoke and mirrors.

True Warriors will not demand respect or dedication, it will be earned. You will follow them because they lead by example from the front with nothing to hide and no secrets. Everything they have they will have earned, never accepting anything that was not fought for and earned through hard work, sweat, blood and dedication. You will know them because they will be the ones in the battle, the ones in the ring limping and covered in sweat, the ones with the black eye and swollen cheek, he will seem unkept and most likely smell, his ways will seem uncouth, and his language harsh and foul, but Trust me he is the True Warrior because he is living by example and sharing in the lessons. This is his routine, this is his life, this is his way, his own temperament is hardened by daily practice in the “Real” fight. His life is meager and sparse, no frills or showmanship, no fancy do dads or bobbles, no impressive cars or bank rolls, pressed uniforms and well groomed hair, yes he will be the one in the ring with his head down from exhaustion and limbs shaking with over exertion, hanging on to the ropes for support, giving the signal (whether it be a nod, wink or smirk)for one more round knowing he may get his ass handed to him because he is aging and his Warrior body is telling him to stop, he will be the one getting in one last round and possibly fail but, all the same, he is sticking it out and sharing in the glory of Warriorship with his fellow Warriors. You will not see the posers here, they will be secluded away in their own little dark corners barking orders to others, telling them what do to and how to act, never sharing in the real experience of action and reality, and if they do, it is only for a brief moment, only so they can lay claim to saying “been there done that”, but these are just words, for what does one learn from doing something once or twice, repetition is the teacher of experience. They will tell you how a warrior should be and act not knowing that a True Warrior will keep quiet and lead by example and know they are the posers the false warriors of the Dark Side.

Be wary young Warriors because deception is all around us and it is easy to be lead astray. The tricksters are abundant and surrounded with flair, pomp and circumstance. Choose your mentors well. Remember Actions always speak louder than words.

Peace Be with You
GhostDog

Stay Aware

Be wary of the trickster young Warriors Deception is everywhere .....

More to come.

I have a long post that should be up soon and as usual I will not pull any punches!

Todays word "LOYALTY" it doesnt look so big here but it speaks volumes.

Keep your chin down, Elbows in, and eye on you target. It is better to get hit with a punch you see coming, than with one you dont!

GhostDog

You can give a fool a thousand intellects, but the only one he wants is yours," say an Arabic proverb. When the Warrior of light starts planting his garden, he notices that his neighbor is there spying. He likes to give advice on when to sow actions, when to fertilize thoughts and water conquests.

If the Warrior listens to what his neighbor is saying, he will end up creating something that is not his; the garden he is tending will be his neighbors idea.

But a true Warrior of Light knows that every garden has its own mysteries, which only the patient hand of the gardener can unravel. That is why he prefers to concentrate on the sun, the rain, and the seasons.

He knows that the fool who gives advise about someone elses garden is not tending to his own plants.

Warrior of Light (A Manual) - Paulo Coelho

NOTES: This is a GREAT read for anyone on the path of the Good Fight. It is full of daily reminders to help set reflections for the day to be read and re-read as affirmations to help guide you in your daily battles of life.

GhostDog

Just for fun ...

Merciful Father, I have squandered my days with plans of many things. This was not among them. But at this moment, I beg only to live the next few minutes well. For all we ought to have thought, and have not thought; all we ought to have said, and have not said; all we ought to have done, and have not done; I pray thee God for forgiveness.

'Lo, there do I see my father.
'Lo, there do I see...My mother, and my sisters, and my brothers.
'Lo, there do I see... The line of my people...Back to the beginning.
'Lo, they do call to me.
They bid me take my place among them.
In the halls of Valhalla...Where the brave...May live...forever.

-guess the movie-
GhostDog

Soundless Sound

This bog is just like the riddle "If a trees falls in the woods and no one is around does it make a sound" ...

"A Warrior of ligt is reliable.

He makes a few mistakes, he sometimes thinks he is more important than he really is, but he does not lie.

When people gather around the fire, he talks to his friends, male and female. He knows that his words are stored in the memory of the Universe, like a testimony of what he thinks.

The Warrior asks himself: "Why do I talk so much, when often I am incapable of carrying out everything I say?"

His heart replies: "When you defend your ideas in public, you then have to make and effort to live accordingly."

It is because he believes that he is what he says he is that the Warrior ends up becoming precisely that."

Warrior of Light - Paulo Coelho

There really needs to be no more discussion on this ...
GhostDog

Author Unknown - Karma

One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers.

That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said about that individual. On Monday she gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. 'Really?' she heard whispered. 'I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!' and, 'I didn't know others liked me so much,' were most of the comments.

No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. She never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another. That group of students moved on.

Several years later, one of the students was killed in Vietnam and his teacher attended the funeral of that special student. She had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. He looked so handsome, so mature. The church was packed with his friends. One by one those who loved him took a last walk by the coffin. The teacher was the last one to bless the coffin. As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to her. 'Were you Mark's math teacher?' he asked. She nodded: 'yes.' Then he said: 'Mark talked about you a lot.'

After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates went together to a luncheon. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting to speak with his teacher. 'We want to show you something,' his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket 'They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it.' Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which she had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him. ‘Thank you so much for doing that,' Mark's mother said. 'As you can see, Mark treasured it.'

All of Mark's former classmates started to gather around. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, 'I still have my list. It's in the top drawer of my desk at home..' Chuck's wife said, 'Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album.' 'I have mine too,' Marilyn said. 'It's in my diary' Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. 'I carry this with me at all times,' Vicki said and without batting an eyelash, she continued: 'I think we all saved our lists'. That's when the teacher finally sat down and cried. She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.

The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be. So please, tell the people you love and care for, that they are special and important. Tell them, before it is too late. Remember, you reap what you sow. What you put into the lives of others comes back into your own.

Remember … "What we do in life echoes in eternity" … I think I know someone having a tattoo saying the same thing, a daily reminder to think right and do right. We will never know how we affect someones life. All we can do, is do good and hope that we make positive influences that echo for eternity.

Peace,
GhostDog

Seeing Clearly

I went out Hunting the other day and saw nothing ...

And now I see everything clearer.

Zen riddle ... Why do hotdogs come in packages of 10 and packages of hotdog buns come in 8

Good luck, follow the path and "Always look on the bright side of life"

GhostDog

Quote for the Day

Quote for the Day

"For the world is not an illusion of the mind in the sense that- to the eyes of the liberated man- there is nothing to be seen but a trackless void. He see's the world that we see; but he does not mark it off, measure it, divide it in the same way. He does not look upon it as really or concretely broken down into seperate things and events. He sees that the skin may just as well be regarded as what joins us to our environment as what separates us from it. He sees, furthermore, that the skin will be considered as joining only if it has first been considered as separating, or vice versa."

Alan Watts - The Way of Zen

Good luck with this
GhostDog

Are you ready for the HERE and NOW

What is today? –NOW-
What is yesterday? –History and memories, they no longer exist-
What is tomorrow? –Dreams and thoughts that take you away from NOW-
Where am I? –HERE-

There is nothing else other than the HERE and NOW, enjoy it because it is already in the past and we cannot relive the past and we cannot live in the future, so make the best of it RIGHT NOW, RIGHT HERE because yesterday and a minute ago no longer exist and you might not make it to tomorrow.

Good Luck
GhostDog

Hero of the Day

Metallica – Hero of the Day

Mama, they try and break me.
The window burns to light the way back home
A light that warms no matter where they've gone.
They're off to find the hero of the day
But what if they should fall by someone's wicked way?
Still the window burns, time so slowly turns
Someone there is sighing
Keepers of the flames
Do you feel your names?
Do you hear your babies crying?
Mama they try and break me
Still they try and break me
'Scuse me while I tend to how I feel
These things return to me that still seem real
Now deservingly this easy chair
But the rocking stops by wheels of despair
Don't want your aid
But the fist I've made for years won't hold or feel
No I'm not all me
So please excuse me while I tend to how I fell
But now the dreams and waking screams that ever last through the night
So build the wall behind it crawl and hide until it's light
Can you hear your babies crying now?
Still the window burns Time so slowly turns
And someone there is sighing
Keepers of the flames, can't you feel your names?
Can't you hear your babies crying?
But now the dreams and waking screams that ever last the night
So build a wall behind it crawl And hide until it's light
So can't you hear your babies crying now?
Mama they try and break me, Mama they try and break me, Mama they try and break me Mama they try
mama they try
Mama they try and break me, Mama they try and break me, Mama they try and break me, Mama they try and break me, Mama they try and break me, Mama they try and break me Mama they try
Mama they try

NOTES: I heard this song while I was running yesterday, not by choice; I just came across Metallica on my IPOD and decided to hit play. Now the first song rocked and it was good to get started because I really wasn’t up for the run but, that is the best time to run … when you have to have self discipline and commitment to get something done that you don’t want to do. It is a form of discipline that some many people in today’s society lack. So many have no strength and discipline and all they seek is comfort and weakness found in the niceties of life. Soft pillows, carpeted floors, lazy boy recliners, remote controls, and the list goes on. Sure I indulge in some comfort but for the most part my life is simple and comfort falls more in line with the natural law of economy of motion and conservation of energy. So I sit on lightly padded wooden furniture that is not the most comfortable in the world but each time I sit or lay down I am reminded that a Warriors life should be uncomfortable and disciplined so as not to create laziness and weakness. Anyway … so on my run the song switches from “Aint my Bitch” to “Hero of the day” and the music itself is interesting as it moves from smooth to harsh and the transition itself is musical excellence. And then the lyric “Mama they try and break me” and I think to myself how often in a day people try to break me of my Warrior spirit with drama and nonsense. If people could just live life day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute and not let their own useless thoughts cloud their judgments or blurt out useless dribble about nothing, how simple life would be. If they would just stop thinking, who cares about the thoughts that pop into your head, they are just passing clouds with no context. In theory they don’t even exist, other than in yours or their own mind. Who cares if Jack hates Jill or Jill called Jane a bitch, it just don’t matter. We should be either doing or not doing, not thinking! Does a deer sit and wonder if the other deer like them or not or how their hair looks today or that it is raining and it is a dreary day. Nope they just do what they have to do.

Ok … now on too “The window burns to light the way back home” … home is where you are always welcome and if you don’t have a welcome place to return to … a centering place, a place to feel grounded and relaxed then one can become lost physically or spiritually.

“But what if they should fall by someone's wicked way?” The world is an evil wicked and dangerous place, temptation is everywhere. It is there to steer us away from the road of the righteous and down the path of following our own egos. The many would like us to be like them, self serving and self concerning. The path of the Warrior is through service to others not to serve ourselves. It is easy (weak) to be lead astray.

All in all this song stirs many emotions in me and I felt I had to comment on it because it is stuck in my head.

Bye
GhostDog

Fight for some Underdogs ANYWAY!!!

I have seen this many places and with many claims to authorship ... that being said, it doesnt really matter who wrote it, it is the lesson that counts ... so this will be an Author Unknown.

Life is tough and right isnt always right, as a matter of fact, worng is often what gets the main event, the Friday night lights, the main stage, this does not make it right. This is for all those tough son of a bitches out there who work thier asses off day in and day out and get no reward or recognition for it! Keep it up you are the TRUE WARRIORS.

ANYWAY

People quite often are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered.
LOVE THEM ANYWAY!

If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
DO GOOD ANYWAY!

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies.
SUCCEED ANYWAY!

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
DO GOOD ANYWAY!

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY!

The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds.
THINK BIG ANYWAY!

People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs.
FIGHT FOR SOME UNDERDOGS ANYWAY!

What you spend years building may be destroyed over night.
BUILD ANYWAY!

People really need help, but may attack you if you help them.
HELP THEM ANYWAY!

Give the world the best you have and you might get kicked in the teeth.
GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU GOT ANYWAY!

GO UNDERDOGS!!!!!

GhostDog

This post is from a good firend of mine GrayBear

- I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old.
- I am of the nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape ill health.
- I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death.
- All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to
escape being separated from them.
- My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My
actions are the ground upon which I stand.

enough said ...
GhostDog

Anger VS Aggression

“You are an angry person” They say

“You call it Anger, I call it Aggression” I reply

NOTES: There is a huge difference between Anger and Aggression. Anger is a negative energy that has no good. It is an affliction of the mind and is a stopping place to hold thoughts which is never good. Aggression on the other hand is a positive attribute, although I am unsure whether it is a positive energy or not but, aggression can see the good in things and be uplifting and refreshing. An angry person sees the bad in many things. When watching a hummingbird feed from a flower and angry person would say “Look at that stupid bird destroying that !@#$ flower”, or in waking to the sunrise complain that it is to hot and bright, or the cool breeze is ruining my hair! These are just a few examples of how anger is manifested. Now looking to aggression, although it may seem similar to anger it is altogether a different energy, the same as looking at 2 basketballs, on with air in it and the other with none. They may seem to be similar but once they are put to use they are completely different. Aggression is a show of force but, it is also giving. It can be like the flowing of water, at times it can be a babbling brook and others it is a raging river. I will use the raging river as an example; The rage in the river is not to show how pissed off it is, it is just the mass amount of water having to flow in certain conditions, in certain environments and at certain times, it is just water that flows. Aggression is like the water that flows, therefore it cannot be held to the same negative level as anger. An aggressive person will do what needs to be done to get the job done and get the job done right. They may even push others aside, bark orders and seem as if not to care about another’s feelings, this is not a bad thing this is just getting the job done. “It is good to be driven but even better to be the driver”, this of course is a Koan (There is a deeper meaning to this than it may appear). Just because someone is driving and will accomplish tasks with fervor does not mean that they are angry. An angry person will call an aggressive person angry because they do not know or understand the thought process of aggression. Aggression is not an emotion or a thought it is an action, therefore aggression is driving and not being driven and an object in motion tends to stay in motion and if you are in the way you will fell the effects of this motion, generally by being run over or slammed into. “If you are not the Lead Dog the view never changes”, just one more quote to explain aggression. This does not mean that one has to be the big shot or the one in charge, what it means is that if you are going to do something do it to the best of your ability and strive to be the best you can be. So, in closing … I am not angry, I am aggressive, I am not an emotion I am an action and in Zen actions are acceptable as part of the natural world where emotions are an affliction of the mind and therefore shunned.

Peace be with you
GhostDog

Nothingness

Today is a lesson and everyone that I meet is a teacher and what they do is a lesson. It is up to me to learn the lessons and recognise the teacher.

Form is emptiness and emptiness is form ... I am trying to find emptiness today but I am allficted by the the thoughts forming in my head. My word for today is "Affliction"

af·flic·tion
Pronunciation: \ə-ˈflik-shən\
Function: noun
Date: 14th century
1: the state of being afflicted
2: the cause of persistent pain or distress
3: great suffering

I have an affliction of the mind today with thoughts and no mindlessness

Peace
GhostDog

Will anyone sneer at me?

“Will anyone sneer at me? That will be his concern; mine will be to ensure that nothing I do or say shall deserve the sneer. Will he hate me? Again, his concern. Mine, to be in friendship and charity with all men, ready to show this very man himself where he is mistaken, and to do so without recrimination or ostentatious forbearance, but – if we may assume that his words were no mere cant – as frankly and generously as Phocion of old (Phocion was an Athenian general and statesman, accused of treachery and condemned to death by his people. Asked if he had any last words to say, he replied; “Only that I have no grudge against the Athenians”). That is the right spirit for a man to have within him; he should never be seen by gods in the act of harboring a grudge or making a grievance of his sufferings. What ill can touch you if you follow the proper laws of your being and accept moment by moment whatever great Nature deems opportune, like a true man who is bent on furthering by any and every means the welfare of the world?"
– Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

NOTES: Everything is a lesson and everyone you meet is a Teacher. Teachers and lessons are everywhere; it is just a matter of our own awareness that will allow for us to be able to recognize the moral of the lesson and to know we are being taught. Most of us drudge along in our daily lives believing that things just happen and look at the bad things as though something were wrong or bad. Everything, good and bad, are lessons and in return good and bad people can be teachers. We just have to be open minded enough to accept the teacher and lesson. We have to swallow our pride and shed our egos to learn from all that is around us and all those we have contact with. Some teachers are greater than others and we can only hope to learn the lessons they have learned to advance us along the path of enlightenment a little quicker. Some teachers are insignificant or even mean, disrespectful or angry but, our own egos and overbearing pride will not allow us to learn their lessons and sometimes these are the greatest lessons of all because they teach us about our own selves.

So how does this pertain to this quote? We are learning from Marcus Aurelius not to be deceitful, angry or hateful and how we can learn from people of such character to not act in those ways ourselves. We should act in ways that we would like to be treated ourselves. How easy it is to only thing of ourselves and our own personal agendas, we think to ourselves “As long as it does not affect me what to I care?” But this is not the way, it is not the path, we do not want to be the one sneering or being sneered upon. We want “to be the ones to be in friendship and charity with all men”, we should not be the ones “Harboring a grudge or making a grievance of our sufferings”. If more people were to look at things in this way of peace the world would be a better place and we would think of what others may think before we act or say things offensive or hurtful. “What ill can touch you if you follow the proper laws of your being and accept moment by moment whatever great Nature deems opportune?” “Nature” being natural law and the proper course that nature takes adhering to the laws of nature. The Maple tree does not complain or grieve over the Oaks taking up all their sunlight in the woods. The mouse does not set forth on a path of war against the Hawk when he is singled out for a meal and killed, nor do his kin folk. These things are just accepted by nature as part of life. But us as humans think we are above this basic fundamental law of survival. The more we accept the moment by moment things that occur as natures opportune, the more we will act in accord with natural laws and see things as lessons of enlightenment. Pride and ego are creations of our minds and therefore only exist as thoughts in our heads and as mentioned before thoughts do not exist but, some of us like to put faith and substance to that negative energy and give it form and that form created by the nothingness of out own pride and ego can only create the form of negative energy that will come back to us 100 fold in the future. Which, will bring up a future discussions of “Karma” and positive and negative energies?

Peace and love and all that happiness stuff,
GhostDog

Form is emptiness

“Our bodies are given life in the midst of nothingness. Existing where there is nothing is the meaning of the phrase, “Form is emptiness”. That all things are provided for by nothingness is the meaning of the phrase, “Emptiness is form”. One should not think that these are two separate things. – Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Hagakure, The Book of the Samurai

NOTES: I have been meaning to write on this for some time as I have had this quote bouncing around in my brain for a few weeks now. It is difficult to understand this at first but, it is the mindset of a Samurai explaining the concepts of Zen, hence the term “Nothingness”. This is just another way of defining the “Void” Musashi talks about in his “Book of five rings”. Our thoughts are emptiness, because of the absences of scientific evidence that a thought would actually exist. If it cannot be measured, weighed, or explained as and existing tactile gas, liquid, solid or measurable energy source, how can it (a thought) actually exist? But, from this nothingness comes form, i.e. I am worried about and upcoming test so my heart rate begins to increase and blood pressure rises, along with many other measurable physiological changes (anxiety). Emptiness is form but, that form comes from emptiness. This is the paradox. So my emptiness, nothingness, and or the void must have some sort of influence on the same for those around me? I end that in a question because it truly is a question. This begins to touch on the basics of quantum physics as well as the theories of Intention. What we think (an emptiness with no form) can affect the outcome of matters at hand or the feelings or perceptions of those around us (emptiness no becomes a form) If this is the case then we can truly affect our futures in a form (measurable or immeasurable outcomes) by sending our thoughts into the universe or emptiness or the collective consciousness. What we think in our own minds is an emptiness but, the more we think about things the more we create an energy that can affect the things around us and begin to cause form. Just by our presence alone and the thoughts in our own minds we can have an affect on the situations at hand. If I think to myself I don’t like this person and they don’t like me. When I meet that person, they very well may think or feel that I don’t like them and they not like me, based on my thoughts affecting the emptiness around us that now can become form.

You may ask yourself, how did I get here? Where did “I” come from? Is it from emptiness? And from that emptiness do I become form (a human being)? I suppose to truly answer this in a Zen way, the answer would be, it does not matter, form is emptiness and emptiness is form. “It is what it is” and “This to shall pass”. It is best of to just empty the mind and become truly aware of what is happening around us, Live for the moment for the rest of our lives. If we come from emptiness into from we will return to emptiness where we came from and our form is just a shell to house our emptiness and when this shell (house) dies we will become form once again. This takes all the anxiety of death out of the equation, which is why it is in the way of the samurai to understand this quote, because if we understand this we will not have thoughts of death and be able to act without hesitation or contemplation, our minds will be blank and truly aware to react to the environment around us. Absolute awareness and absence of thought allow for instinctive natural reactions, precisely Musashi’s and Tsunetomo’s philosophies.

Have a GREAT day,
GhostDog

The Warriors Code

THE WARRIOR’S CODE(Written by Dropkick Murphys)

You're the fighter you've got the fire
The spirit of a warrior, the champion's heart
You fight for your life because the fighter never quits
You make the most of the hand you're dealt
Because the quitter never winsNo!

You were born to box in a city that's seen their share
Mello, Ryan, Carney, among them your photo proudly hangs there
Above the bar in the Gaelic Club
They tell the story of a throwback
With the heart of a lion
They salute your glory

It's another murderous night
Another left hook from hell
A bloody war on the boardwalk
And the kid from Lowell rises to the bell

CHORUS:
Micky
It's a warrior's code
Micky
He's got the warrior's soul

CHORUS

This song is about Massachusetts' own Micky Ward, a boxing legend who defines the heart and soul of the sport. He also happens to be the guy on the front cover of the album…

NOTES: This song is very inspirational. It is an underdog song, a song for the guy who fights and trains hard just to have the opportunity to get a shot. Given the genetic gifts of athleticism almost anyone can be a superstar. This song is for those that are average Joe’s, the underdogs, with the spirit of the warrior and a champion’s heart. They show up everyday, with the heart of a lion, and put in an honest hard days training and have to fight for every inch to get ahead. They sit the sidelines or in the crowd using the game as motivation to train harder and push themselves to be the best they can be. And maybe someday they might get thrown a bone and get a shot at the night lights and hype the superstars take for granted. To the underdog, everything takes great effort and tenacity and with enough effort, blood sweat and tears you can get and edge up on those that have the gift of natural talent. But there is a different kind of talent not gifted or genetics it is the talent spawned by hard work and determination, it will build a character and heart that many will never achieve and never know. It is a silent talent because the underdog is quiet, focused and determined and not one to spout off about his achievements or efforts, he is just there everyday, training and sweating in the corner of the gym where most don’t look, gutting it out building the tenacity and heart it tales just to be able to step into the ring as a nobody a no name a third or fourth stringer, a throwback. I would go side by side into battle with a determined underdog any day before I would the superstar because the superstar gets down and losses heart at the slightest set back but, the underdog sits and waits for the opportunity to get in the fight and revels in the opportunity to just get in. Running out onto the field when the chips are down happy to get in and just play, knowing they have no chance to change the outcome. This song goes out to you underdogs! Fight strong, you are the Warriors, the true Champions.

People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs. - FIGHT FOR SOME UNDERDOGS ANYWAY!
Give the world the best you have and you might get kicked in the teeth. GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU GOT ANYWAY!

Train as you fight and your will fight as you train – GhostDog

Don't Think

To think, “I will not think” –
This, too, is something in one’s thoughts.
Simply do not think
About not thinking at all.

An old poem as quoted in…. The Unfettered Mind – Takuan Soho

NOTES: This is actually how I wanted to start this post………
Quote ……. “BLANK”
NOTES:……”Blank”
…… If I am thinking, I can not be Not thinking.

Nothing like disjointed thoughts eh?! It is hard for me to focus today, but that is absence of thought, is it not?

EDITED: 7-11-09 – This is just one more lesson of absence of thought. The more we think about not thinking the further this takes us away from not thinking. The practice is to just not think, to be in the void, to operate in the space and energy fields in the space where there is nothingness. Here we are truly in awareness and we are truly present to listen and help others. In the void we can relax, live and heal, it is too bad modern society and our conditioned conscious mind try to keep us from tapping into this magical field of nothingness where everything is possible and great fields of positive healthy energy can be gulped in at will. Distractions, afflictions, stopping of the mind on thoughts and contemplations are all distractions of the conscious mind to steer us away from achieving enlightenment. Nature does not have a conscious mind only a free roaming subconscious natural mind, free from afflictions and distracting contemplations, free to receive 100% of the things that happen without contemplation on why is the grass green or the sky blue, it just is and it is beautiful. We can become our own worst enemies as we self absorb in our own thoughts and feelings because if we are focusing within we will not perceive, receive the things that are without (outside) of us. Just like blinders on a horse an effect that causes tunnel vision as well as tunnel thoughtness (I just made that word up). Its not a matter of seeing the forest through the trees, it is a matter of just seeing all of the forest.

Peace be with you,
GhostDog

Warrior and Scholar

The Warrior and the Scholar

In the beginning there is a separation of Ways, the Warrior and the Scholar; they are two schools (Ways). One must focus on “One” specifically to master it. As one moves on in training and advances in the Martial Arts (Warriors) or the Scholar (philosophy and Spirituality), He realizes there is more and therefore begins and interest and discipline (study) in the other, therefore the Warrior follows the Way of the Scholar and the Scholar follows the Way of the Warrior. In the end the Warrior becomes the Scholar and the Scholar becomes the Warrior, each becoming one in the same a perfect blend of Ways. There fore the study of one Way will lead to the understanding and the study of other Ways becoming only one Way in the end. If one masters the Way (Bushido) he will understand all Ways.

So sayeth a Modern Day Anachronism - GhostDog

Passing along unknowingly

“It is because we do not pay attention that we pass along unknowing”

NOTES: This quote is sort of taken out of context but, the meaning can still be understood. The paragraph is about how the Lilly flower closes at night and opens again in the morning unbeknownst to most people or the grass that wilts or relaxes at night and perks up in the morning as the sun rises and the dew refreshes it. These things occur everyday with a million other small nuances that we normally miss. If we are aware these things begin to show themselves to us. We begin to develop a level of awareness that borders on physic ability, the paranormal, or ESP. If we are self consumed and entrenched in our own thoughts and feelings this closes us into ourselves eliminating our abilities to see the beauty and lessons around us. This quote has everything to do with awareness and that level of awareness can come from enlightenment and or clearing the mind. Empty the cup. Meditation whether it be static or dynamic (dynamic being the more advanced) gives us a trigger and a repetitive task to occupy the conscious mind with a menial task allowing the subconscious mind to come to the forefront allowing us to touch our natural spiritual ability to see with our minds eye or higher self. This also allows us to cleanse our soul and discard are negative habit energy and re-energize our positive energy. This cleansing can be equated to the feeling you get after a nice relaxing sit in the woods observing nature continue on around you and sensing the nature of things around us. Feel alive!

Feel the spirit come alive – GhostDog

Lets put on the gloves and get in the ring ... Punk

“By all accepted standards, Musashi was not a great sword technician. Schools, styles, theories, traditions – none of these meant anything to him. His mode of fighting was completely pragmatic. What he knew was only what he had learned from experience. He wasn’t putting theory into practice; he fought first and theorized later.

The Yoshioka men, from the Ten Swordsman on down, had all had the theories of the Kyohachi Style pounded thoroughly into their skulls. Some of them had even gone on to create stylistic variations of their own. Despite being highly trained and highly disciplines fighters, they had no way of gauging a swordsman like Musashi, who spent his time as an ascetic in the mountains, exposing himself to the dangers presented by nature as often as those presented by man. To the Yoshioka men, it was incomprehensible that Musashi with his breathing so erratic, face ashen, eyes bleary with sweat and body covered with gore, was still able to wield two swords and threaten to make short work of anyone who came within range. But he fought on like a god of fire and fury. They themselves were dead tired, and their attempts to pin down this bloody specter were becoming hysterical.” – Eiji Yoshikawa, Musashi

NOTES: I have spent a good amount of time studying, practicing, observing and evaluating certain arts of the martial category, and the one thing that I have come to find is that there is no special way other that the natural way and or natural law. As I have mentioned before there are laws of nature that are absolutes, as an example, we cannot breathe under water without some sort of apparatus and we cannot fly without artificial wings or equipment. As much as we try there are laws, like gravity that have a strange way of getting in the way of what we “Think” (remember thoughts are like clouds) we can do. Ok, I will get back on track. Any Martial skill that is not in line with Nature, Physics, and the Physiology of the human body is held in skepticism. Don’t be tricked into believing what the soothsayers weave into being “the best” or the absolute. Nothing is “The” Way, there are just “Ways”, and really, no one is better than another as long as they are in line with the Laws of Nature. If it steps out of the laws of nature than it is just soothsaying and magic tricks. Remember the mind is an easy thing to trick because our thoughts are and abstract to the laws of nature. The one place that the laws of nature do not adhere is in a thought, but a thought is nothing because it has no substance, this is the reason that our thoughts can be manipulated and tricked into believing something can work outside the laws of nature. Unfortunately the laws of nature will hold true when exposed to reality. Nature is dynamic, it is not static and styles or ways that practice in the static are not falling in line with nature (because nature is not static). Nature in not even fluid, it is dynamic and spontaneous, albeit often times predictable, we still cannot predict the direction of the wind with certainty. This is just one example of the spontaneity of nature and those arts that fall in line with this spontaneity will be in line with the law of nature and more in accord with practicality and reality.

A person is not going to stand still and let you beat the shit out of them. They are going to move and that move can be unpredictable, therefore preprogrammed responses to the dynamics of a street fight are going to be … well … unpredictable. Training is important and if your training is in accord with natural law then there “may” be a successful outcome, but remember the predator does not always get the prey. Which brings to point our human sophistication of Martial Arts, if we pit them against nature will they work? Most animal attacks in nature end up in human death or misfortune and guess what? No formal dojo or regimented training and routines or techniques for those critters, just raw natural law. It may seem unfair that a 50 pound Bobcat could whip the shit out of a 250 pound man, although we all have the same weapons available to us, i.e. Tooth, Fangs and Claws. But, it happens and that is because the Bobcat is in accord with natural law and the situation is spontaneous.

This brings me to my final point for all the static soothsayers and opponents of Cagefighting as a Martial Art. MMA is the evolution of combat and the combat arts. Yes there are rules but, there are also rules in every dojo. These same rules apply in MMA competitions, I do not think I would have too many students if I all out punched them in the nuts or poked them in there eyes or for that matter kicked out there knees, punched them in the throat or popped their ears. These are all things that would put them in the hospital and get me sued and or put in jail. So, we have unwritten 0r written rules in the dojo that allow for practice in a safe way and in a secure environment, so for safety in sparring we have rules and limitations hence our own arts are no different now than the rules of MMA competitions. If I had a dime for every Karate guy that said that MMA is crap because it has rules, I would be rich. They (Traditional Martial Arts) have those same rules in sparring and practice of technique. If you want a dynamic practice of technique and ability you have to have rules and with those rules, enter the closest test of ability to a real fight with a minimum risk of injury or hospitalization, the UFC or MMA Competition. Ok, all the traditionalist can pile on now but, it is the truth. Unless you knock someone out with the first punch or they just stand there and wait for an ass whipping, no one is going to just stand there, they are going to move, turn, twist, run and any number of other responses that are unpredictable. No plan lasts first contact, there has to be contingencies and dynamic alternatives. Yes, training is extremely important and skill is of the essence BUT! How do you test it in a safe a LEGAL way? Yup, you got it, Mixed Martial Arts Competition. I am not saying that MMA is the Martial Way for self-Defense in the street, I am saying that if you are not testing yourself in a MMA competition against others you are falling short in your own skills and if you are one of those that says it’s crap, just get in the ring, cage or on the mat and have a go at it and see what works and what doesn’t. Try your technique (keeping it safe of course) and see if it will work in a reality based environment. I am a big supporter of traditional martial arts and the discipline but, I also understand that a style must be dynamic and evolve with the times. Someone is always figuring out counters to counters to counters, therefore our own styles must be alive and living enough to adapt to change and the future. What worked 1000 years ago may work today or maybe not, or maybe, just maybe, someone may have figured out a counter in the last thousand years??? You think??? The World Champions of Martial Arts Competitions of old definitely deserve their props but, the competition and times have changed and it is now fought in a cage, and the champions of MMA must also deserve their props as well, each in their own right being the best of the best. I have no problem listening to a grey hair from days past tell me about his skill and art as long as he doesn’t bash the skills ant arts of the 21st century. Sure a musket fires a bullet that kills but not as proficiently as a 50 cal at 1000 yards! If technology in equipment can adapt and get better so can a Martial Art. The proof is in the pudding, as my instructor always says and I quote “If you think you got what it takes punk, lets put on the gloves and get in the cage and show me what you got!”

Good luck and Play nice kids
GhostDog

Attention

“Long ago, the World Honored One went into the Snowy Mountains, and after passing six years in suffering, became enlightened. This was the enlightenment of the True Self. The ordinary man has no strength of faith, and does not know the persistence of even three or five years. But those who study the Way are absolutely diligent for ten or twenty years, twenty four hours a day. They muster up great strength of faith, speak with those who have wisdom, and disregard adversity and suffering.” - Takuan Soho – The Unfettered Mind

NOTES: People of today become so short sighted and their attention spans so short as to be able to understand that the Way and true discipline take years of dedication and practice. Next time you are watching TV count how many time the scene or angle of the camera changes. Watch how the camera will show a conversation between two people but rarely do they show the two people in the same frame. This is a small example of how we can be conditioned to have short attention spans. Things have to happen fast and each frame grab out attention or the mind wanders off and we loose interest. For those who have never hunted or meditated, sitting for hours on end seeing the same scene drives them nuts. They can’t appreciate the beauty of each subtlety revealing itself as the mind shuts down and you begin to become part of the environment. The adversity and suffering is in passing through the gates of boredom and simplicity to arrive as one with your surroundings, to touch “The spirit that moves in all things”. Keeping at something means for a long time. Not just a few hours or days or months but, years and years. Most people don’t see that far or have the discipline to keep at it for that long. Without immediate results they quit and turn to something that gives instant (but short lived) rewards. When you make a choice to follow the Way it is a choice that will take a lifetime or more. When I tell a student that it will be three to five years or longer to obtain Shodan rank they get depressed because it seems so long but, is it really that long compared to 100 years or many lifetimes? I think not. Sometimes just stand in one place to teach yourself the discipline of time, fight the urge to move forward out of boredom. Sitting in a hunt spot (or sit spot) will help to enforce this discipline. Keep this in mind at length and practice daily.

Just the other day I received a lesson in tolerance and discipline in the form of a crying baby at the theatre. Why would someone bring in a baby to the movies and let it cry. I was not accepting the moment for what it was. I was not absorbed in the movie and was distracted. I had lost my discipline in attention easily by something I had no control over.

Peace – GhostDog

et Spiritus Sancti

This counts for tommorrow because it is late enough today.

The Boondock Saints – court room scene (transcript)

“Now you will receive us. We do not ask for your poor or your hungry. We do not want your tired and sick. It is your corrupt we claim. It is your evil that will be sought by us. With every breath, we shall hunt them down. Each day we will spill their blood till it rains down from the skies. Do not kill, do not rape, do not steal, these are principles which every man of every faith can embrace. These are not polite suggestions. These are codes of behavior and those of you that ignore them will pay the dearest cost. There are varying degrees of evil, we urge you lesser forms of filth not to push the bounds and cross over into true corruption, into our domain. But if you do, one day you will look behind you and you will see we three and on that day you will reap it. And we will send you to which ever god you wish.”

And shepherds we shall be,For Thee, my Lord, for Thee.Power hath descended forth from Thy hand,That our feet may swiftly carry out Thy command.So we shall flow a river forth to TheeAnd teeming with souls shall it ever be.In Nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritūs Sancti.
(The trinitarian formula: "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”)

NOTES: This scene and the words of this scene were the focus of my drive into to work today. Pay particular attention to the bold caps, this I feel is a huge statement. It can not be more crystal clear than that when it comes to the things you do in life. Also notice just before that in italics, the sentence does not suggest it is a fact of principle that every man should embrace. The code of the warrior comes in many forms but, the message is always the same. Live pure and just. Live ethically and morally. Corruption is for the damned and those that follow that path will be damned. There are not enough warriors in today’s society. Modern beliefs are breading true Warrior blood out of our young to create soft, weak, and politically correct fools. Life is a path and a lesson, tough lessons and on that path there are rewards and punishments, for the real Warriors, but today there seems to be no punishment for the fools and the corrupt. Without harsh punishments how is society to learn the valuable lessons? Maybe that was the point of the Old Testament, a way of scaring the shit out of a corrupt society into becoming more moral and ethical. I am not really sure but it makes sense to me. Where are our Super Heroes? Those who will fight for what is good, right and just? I suppose for now I will be the best Sheepdog that I can be. My children will learn the traditional ways of dedication, discipline and the Warriors way. The way of rewarding good behavior and action and punishing poor behavior, stupidity and unethical or immoral actions and thoughts. It will be tough and I apologize for the toughness I must show to keep them on the path but, when they mature and become Warriors in the own right they will understand and thank me. It will be an unspoken thanks and not expected because that is the way of the Warrior. They and I will both know, as I know why my father was tough on me to make me what I have become. Thanks Pops.

GhostDog

Purposeless and Awareness

“Paradoxical as it may seem, the purposeful life has no content, no point. It hurries on and on, and misses everything. Not hurrying, the purposeless life misses nothing, for it is only when there is no goal and no rush that the human senses are fully open to receive the world.
Absence of hurry also involves a certain lack of inference with the natural course of events, especially when it is felt that the natural course follows principles which are not foreign to human intelligence.”

- Alan Watts, The Way of Zen

NOTES: If you have not noticed in the right margin of my blog I have a link to a company called onPoint Tactical Scout Tracking and Survival School, I am an instructor with that company and teach a Basic Scout course. You may ask what a “Scout” is or what is there to learn about the Scout. Most of the skills taught are based on Apache Indian Scouts, the protectors of their people, the silent alarm system of the tribe. They moved about in invisibility keeping watch over their people and alerting them to danger when danger was near. They were skilled in all ways of survival and protection; they lived off the land, on the fly, melding with every terrain and environment with a dedication and conviction that made them an elite Warrior Class, the silent watchers and protectors. The way of the Scout is the way of the Warrior. It is a way of life and a life long path. The Difference between the standard run of the mill Warrior or Soldier and the Scout is the absolute commitment to AWARENESS. The Apache Scouts were so effective at thier skills because they were aware of everything that was going on around themall the time. They understood the language of the Natural World, bird calls, animal calls, tracks and tracking, the wind, the weather, all this and more, in a constant state of awareness, almost to the point of a moving dynamic meditation, allowing them to feel and perceive things going on around them beyond human capabilities. This can only happen when the mind is absent of thought.

So now back to Alan Watt’s quote. When we walk down the street or though the woods and we are preoccupied with our own thoughts we move with a “Purposefulness” that is not within the context of Natural Law. Nature (Natural Law) has an unwritten set of rules and laws that are based on a reward / punishment system. As prey, if you break the rules you get killed and eaten or injured and die, as the predator if you break the rules you starve and die. If you follow the rules then all is in harmony with the great circle of life and things good. When you sit in the woods and spend enough time slowing down modern mans clock you will begin to see the Natural World in a different light and see more things. Now we take that preoccupied human walking into the woods with no awareness other than their own thoughts and they stick out like a sore thumb. Tripping stumbling, moving to fast, making as much racket as a elephant stuck in a swamp puddle. Their minds look the same as they look in the woods, out of context and unaware.

Your mental awareness and absence of thought will help to slow down the chaotic mind and bring you more in tune with the things going on around you. Stop thinking into the past and into the future and pay attention to the here and now, it is a wonderful thing, stop and smell the roses, watch the birds, sit still and calm enough for the birds to land on you and investigate. They know what is natural and what is not. The Apache Scouts had figured this out and used it for a tactical advantage, like any true Warrior would. The most precious of skills if often the one most forgotten AWARENESSS know what is going on around you and be open to subtlest clues that something is out of place. Self-Defense in it’s truest form is not defending an attack, it is sensing that there will be an attack and not being there at all! In a true state of awareness you will know / sense something is out of context and in listening to you inner vision you will not be there at all or in an offensive tactical environment you will use that same awareness to set up an ambush and take you enemy when they are unprepared.

The only way to reach true awareness is to quiet our minds and life in the context with nature and the natural things around us that so many people miss as they think and rush there way through life. There are too many wondrous things in life to miss them because we are in a state of perpetual obsession with man made compulsions.

An Apache Scout Prayer

Grandfather of all Scouts, Teach me to be the eyes of my people, teach me to move like the shadow, allow me to become the winds, the rocks, the soils, and the life forces in all its forms.
Allow me to suffer for my people, and take away their pain, Honor me by allowing me to die for my people, For I love my people beyond myself, and I will sacrifice my all for my people, my earth and for you.
Test me beyond all hardships and pain, create me as you would forge a tool, and if you find I am worthy …
then bless me as your servant Your Scout

- Shadow Walker Age 91, Panther ridge 1807

Good Medicine
GhostDog

No matter where you are ... there you are.

“No matter where you are … There you are” - Randy Schryer – Past Fire Chief Davis Monthan Air Force Base

NOTE: I should start by explaining a little bit about Randy, he started at the lowest level in the Fire Department as a Dispatch supervisor, I worked under him for 2 years on and off. He worked his way from the lowest position to the highest position attesting to the fact that if you work hard enough, set your goals and follow that path you will achieve what ever you want. Randy was an inspiration to me and still is in all that I do. He was always laid back and took all things in stride. He was fond of a former Fire Chief’s practice of taking time out of the day to stare out the window and watch the clouds go by. Randy will be missed as he passed away a while ago. But, what he has shown me and others will echo in eternity.

The quote itself is a Zen Kōan, You are where you are because of your own actions and your own state of mental mind. "You" bring actions against yourself, if you trip and fall walking down the street, it is not the fault of the street it is the fault of your own poor awareness that caused you to miss the crack in the street that you fell over. You are the only one who controls what happens to you and how you feel. At any given time in your life you are there because of what you have done to get there, consciously or unconsciously, it is cause and affect. If you are in a shitty situation it is because you put yourself there and you allowed yourself to be put there. I am here because I put myself here and no matter where I go and what I do it will always be where I am. This is also a good grounding point because it can also be a “here and now” awareness. Where am I? And what is happening around me? And what am I doing to provide positive energy to promote peace and happiness? Sometimes the contemplation of this quote is enough to drop my heart rate and mental state to a level of peaceful tranquility because ... No matter where I am, there I am.

Peace be with you,
GhostDog

Its Bad When One Thing Becomes Two

"The way of the warrior does not include other ways, such as Confucianism, Buddhism, certain traditions, artistic accomplishments and dancing. But even though these are not part of the Way, if you know the Way broadly, you will see it in everything. Men must polish their particular Way." - The Book of 5 Rings Miyamoto Musashi

"Its bad when one thing becomes two, one should not look for anything else in the way of the samurai, its the same for anything else that is called a way, if one understands things in this manner, he should be able to hear about all ways, and be more and more in accord with his own" - Hagakure, The Book of the Samurai – Yamamoto Tsunetomo

GhostDogs Notes: This helps to explain that the absolute indulgence in the study of any way will help you to understand the way in all things. If you are a dedicated Christian and follow the Way you will understand all religions. I find, for myself, the Way of Bushido to be the absolute way but, that is just for me. Bushido is absolute because it follows the course of Natural Law and the rewards and punishment philosophy. If you fail at missing a strike the punishment is pain and discomfort or in the extreme, death, if you block the strike the reward is painlessness or the absolute, Life. This same theory can apply to all things and all ways. Let me add that Bushido is not a Martial Art or specific, it is a Way, a path, although it is one way it encompasses all ways. The Warrior and the Scholar, or, Light and Dark, physical and spiritual. The blend of energies. Inner Chi and outer Chi. The Chi of the spirit and the Chi of the Body. Body and Soul. Following this path I understand that there is an absolute path in the Way that must be followed to enlightenment. Not only must the Body be tempered but also the Spirit. This I know will take much study and practice. "Wherever the head goes the body will follow", a theory I teach in the Martial Arts, (replace the word head with spirit), this teaches us that if we are following a good spirit and have made right and just decisions our body will be in accord with our mind (spirit), therefore maintaining an enlightened path in life through right and just actions (physical to include vocalizations and looks). We must always meditate on this when it comes to all things we do in life. The rewards and punishments will be found in Karma, do good and good will be returned, do bad and bad will be returned.

Peace out GhostDog

HOLD THE LINE!

In Gladiator (2000 film) Maximus: "Three weeks from now, I will be harvesting my crops. Imagine where you will be, and it will be so. Hold the line! Stay with me! If you find yourself alone, riding in green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled. For you are in Elysium, and you're already dead!"

In Greek mythology, Elysium (Greek: Ἠλύσια πεδία) was a section of the Underworld (the spelling Elysium is a Latinization of the Greek word Elysion). The Elysian Fields, or the Elysian Plains, ...

... were the final resting place of the souls of the heroic and the virtuous.

NOTES: AAAAAHHHHHHHH CHarge!!!!!! Hold the Line!!!!!!! Kill!! Need I say more. The Warriors of Old are very different from what we have today. I hope there is a place in Heaven for those of us Modern Day Warriors that still hold true to the Old Ways. Honor, Strength, Duty, Discipline, Ethics, Integrity, Family, Compassion, Loyalty, Virtuous … are just a few virtues of the top of my head. Oh how this quote warms my soul and the fires within the Warrior in me!

<<<<<<>>>>>>He is some more just because I like to be long winded!

Roman Virtues & Beliefs
The Virtues in this form listed below are by Nova Roma

Personal Virtues, these are the qualities of life to which every Citizen (and, ideally, everyone else) should aspire. They are the heart of the Via Romana — the Roman Way — and are thought to be those qualities which gave the Roman Republic the moral strength to conquer and civilize the world. Today, they are the rods against which we can measure our own behavior and character, and we can strive to better understand and practice them in our everyday lives.

Auctoritas: "Spiritual Authority" The sense of one's social standing, built up through experience, Pietas, and Industria.
Comitas: "Humor" Ease of manner, courtesy, openness, and friendliness.
Clementia: "Mercy" Mildness and gentleness.
Dignitas: "Dignity" A sense of self-worth, personal pride.
Firmitas: "Tenacity" Strength of mind, the ability to stick to one's purpose.
Frugalitas: "Frugalness" Economy and simplicity of style, without being miserly.
Gravitas: "Gravity" A sense of the importance of the matter at hand, responsibility and earnestness.
Honestas: "Respectibility" The image that one presents as a respectable member of society.
Humanitas: "Humanity" Refinement, civilization, learning, and being cultured.
Industria: "Industriousness" Hard work.
Pietas: "Dutifulness" More than religious piety; a respect for the natural order socially, politically, and religiously. Includes the ideas of patriotism and devotion to others.
Prudentia: "Prudence" Foresight, wisdom, and personal discretion.
Salubritas: "Wholesomeness" Health and cleanliness.
Severitas: "Sternness" Gravity, self-control.
Veritas: "Truthfulness" Honesty in dealing with others.

NOTES: As I read through these virtues I started to think about what makes a man. And in respect to that I was thinking about what makes a competitor, a soldier, a Warrior. The more I thought about this the more I realized that the virtuousness of a man is not gauged by his physical achievement or his physical competitiveness compared to another. In relation to High School football, what are we teaching our young men? Are we teaching them that all is rewarded to those who perform well physically? What about the virtuous man? The man that practices his heart out and shows great joy in supporting his team and the one who is there to encourage and congratulate the players coming off the field knowing that he himself may not have the opportunity to play. The player that finds great joy in getting on the field for one play! Where is the reward for this virtuous man? The superstar knows naught of the heart of the underdog. Just because he can run faster or move quicker he feels it is his right to be on the filed regardless of the type of man he is. Is this really what we want to be teaching our young men? A virtuous man with good physical ability would offer the field to the next man down, go to the coach and ask to let his backup in the game for a few plays as a just reward for being part of the team for being a teammate. Being part of the team is looking after your teammates and the man that does not, is not really a man at all, he is nothing more than a horse in a horse race, a cock in a cockfight. If that is all we want to teach our young men to do is win, then we are not teaching them anything at all. It is our job as coaches to help our young men get better, teach them the skills that they will need to play and when they don’t have that physical ability of a starter, we should take the time to work with them to make them better not just let them sit and rot on the bench or try to figure it out on their own. Being coaches we take on a big responsibility, we are there not to win but to make our future men better. Anyone can coach a superstar or put the most athletic player on the field but, we have to ask ourselves can we make virtuous man? What have I done to make everyone on the filed a better man? Do I only pay attention to the top dogs? Or do I take the time to make an underdog better? Do I motivate or de-motivate. I would like to believe that I make better people and in return they become better athletes, not just making a competitor or a winner.

Strength and Honor - GhostDog

Today I am pretending to be Enlightened

"Today I am pretending to be enlightened" - GhostDog - Mindless meanderings

NOTE: Sometimes you are enlightened and other times you pretend to be enlightened. The path is not a given "Life is Suffering". Today I am suffering because I am pretending to be enlightened, how am I pretending? Today it takes effort to be peaceful and calm and to be at one with all things, to touch the "Spirit that moves in all things". How do you know when you are NOT pretending? When there is no "Suffering" in the effort to be peaceful, it comes at will and affects all that is around you. It comes in the smallest of beauties and simplest of things, they shear pleasure of watching a passing cloud or feeling a cool breeze against you skin. When you are "Pretending" It is like lifting weights or training (not doing, doing is different than training) in the Martial Arts. You want to be enlightened but, the path is difficult, you have to think about it, therefore making it a conscious effort and putting thought into it. Pretending is discipline and it is that discipline over time that will make the path effortless "No Suffering" or better yet the absence of suffering. So today I will pretend and practice discipline and maybe tomorrow it will have no effort and not have a conscious though about it. Everything is a lesson and today is a lesson in discipline. Practice, practice, practice. Today a Punch is more than a Punch, and a Kick more than a kick, and a block more than a block and tomorrow I can hope that a Punch will be a punch, a kick just a kick and a block a block. An effortless mindless action without any thought to be enlightened, I will just be.

My mind today is an “Affliction”. The mind has stopped and is not free floating.

Peace be with you

This is an Entertaining Enlightenment from a friend of mine.

>>> GrayBear 7/12/2008 10:41 AM >>>
“If you listen too much to the suffering, the anger of other people, you will be affected. You will be in touch with only suffering, and you won't have the opportunity to be in touch with other, positive elements. This will destroy your balance. Therefore, in your daily life, you have to practice so that you can be in touch with elements that do not constantly express suffering; the sky, the birds, the trees, the flowers, children - whatever is refreshing, healing, and nourishing in us and around us." - From "Anger, Wisdom for Cooling the Flames" by Thich Nhat Hanh

This stands out for me as only a short time ago an inmate asked me if the laundry was going to be done today, and I replied angrily "how would I know!" After having worked here for so long, I have built up a negative "habit energy" in how I interact with people here. This of course carries over to the outside world, as there is no separate me, one here and one outside of here. This energy is inside me, I believe, in part, due to what the author is saying in this paragraph. All around us, every day we come in here, we are surrounded by negative people, negative energy, and negative feelings. However, I do not place blame for this energy. It is in all of us, the important thing is that we recognize it, and how we deal with it.

Writing this is a wonderful way for me to touch the healing part of myself, and nourish myself, as I am reminded of the things outside of this place. Also I am reminded that I am not my feelings, and that they are not me. (this will be a discussion for later) And of course it reminds us of balance, and it is easy for me to forget how important that is in my life, and how much I neglect it.

Entertaining Enlightenment is an excellent idea Mike. 2 pats on the back for that one!

Truth, Honesty, Courage, and Compassion

GrayBear

“Because our clan is involved in the martial arts, I have spoken this conjunction with them; but it should not be restricted to martial arts alone. All ways are like this.

In the martial arts it is a sickness if you do not leave the mind of the martial arts behind. In archery it is a sickness if you do not leave the mind of archery behind. If you will only use your ordinary mind and take up the sword or draw the bow, archery will not be difficult and the sword will be used with freedom.

Not being surprised by anything, the ordinary mind will be good for everything. If you lose your ordinary mind, your voice will shake no matter what you are trying to say. If you lose your ordinary mind, your hand will shake when you try to write something in front of others. The ordinary mind is in leaving nothing whatsoever in your breast, lightly tossing off all traces, and leaving the breast empty. This is the ordinary mind” – Yagyu Munenori, The Life-Giving Sword

NOTES: Ordinary mind = no mind no thought, it is free slowing and unrestricted. Mind = preoccupied thought of everything except the here and now, it is distracting and impeding.

In this there are many lessons to learn that apply to all things in life. This is the void it is the emptiness that allows us to reach our highest potential. Being a martial artist and a fighter I can tell you that there are plenty of people that like to hang there hats on achievements, trophies, belt colors and pieces of paper framed on the wall. These things mean nothing when it comes down to the real deal. For those that have achieved a level of confidence and skill there is no thought or talk needed to express their skill, it shows in their actions and movements. The more you think and talk about it the more you become a fake. It is in the doing that we truly excel in our skills. One does not need to talk or think about what we are doing, if you do think to much it will be an affliction of the mind that will distract from the performance of the body. The same is for archery and all ways. If you empty the mind and understand the void you will move without thinking and this movement will be free and natural. For those still caught in the mind you will do things in impeded ways and others will notice this. One does not think martial arts, one does not think the arrow from the bow we do martial arts and do archery. It is the absence of thought that allows to tap into the void allowing us to have pure movements and accurate arrows. To much talk, discussion and analyzing places one in the line with the posers, the want-to-be’s. Those that know the way do and those that do not talk and think. Empty the mind and just do.

The last paragraph of the quote tells us that those of us that are I the mind will be easily recognized by others. As Munenori mentions “Our voices and hands will shake when in front of others”. This is not to be taken literally it means that there will be subtle nuances and clues that others will see that will give away the pretenders, those not living in reality or those that live in a dream world in their own minds. One can only pretend for so long before others will take note of their mind state and lack of ordinary mind. Those moving with ordinary minds move with a grace and fluidity, those in the mind move clumsy and unbalanced. This applies to all ways. The tree does not think itself into the sunlight or think itself to grow, it just does, the bird does not think of how to fly or think how to land on a branch it just does. Those of us that know the ordinary mind can see those that are caught in the mind and in a fight it is those in the mind that will find it difficult to adapt to the constant dynamic change of circumstances in a fight. We either are or we are not and eventually the void will exploit own weaknesses of the mind and open them up for others to see.

I will use stalking in the woods as an example.

When one moves in nature and out of context with the nature surrounding them they will stand out like a sore thumb. If you understand the way and clear the mind, when you become one with your environment and you move in concert with the nature around us you will move with fluidity and grace and seem virtually invisible in the wilderness, just like the deer walking in the woods. Thinking and analyzing takes us out of context reality and the present and this will show in all that we do. When we are accomplished in our ordinary minds and our abilities others will see this and understand. If you understand this then you know, if you do not understand this then we will know. A kick is just a kick; a punch is just a punch, and a block just a block.

Good Stalking
GhostDog

There's always room for one more!

- The chamber of steel and the efforts of physical exertion.
- Part of the riddle of steel

What is the chamber of steel and what can it teach us? The chamber of steel is the weight room and it can teach us self discipline and focus. How can someone even think for a moment about your daily trials and tribulations when you are about to un-rack and lift 250, 300 or 350 lbs? All there is at that given point time is absolute will and determination, the total focus of mind and body. This all starts with the clearing of the mind, then focusing on the breath, then the flexing and full contraction of the muscle and finally relaxing of the muscles of the body and then the release of tension and finally nothingness. The total focus on the body and its physical exertion and then the release of tension and the absolute failure of the muscle at the end of a set or rep, that exertion leads to the release of endorphins at the end of the work out. This is a form of dynamic meditation and a way of releasing negative energy and or stress. Take into account deep breathing, a heavy exchange of oxygen and increase heart rate pumping rich oxygenated blood throughout the body and you pretty much have it all.

The steel in the weight room does not care about your daily problems. Happy, sad, depressed or angry, it does not matter. The weights will always weight the same it is never changing and it is constant, a humbling lesson in reality and consistency. The weight room can teach us many lessons about ourselves, things we may not want to know or refuse to hear. It will tell us when we are dehydrated, under nourished, lacking sleep or not mentally focused or prepared, it teaches us many lessons about ourselves, our commitment and dedication. The weight pile calls us out by name to challenge ourselves to focus and to challenge us for our own self improvement. We can learn things about ourselves through our dedication to hard work and a healthy lifestyle.

The hardest part of your day is in the chamber of steel. Think to yourself, what in our daily life could be more difficult and challenging than lifting the heaviest weight or repping the most we can physically handle and push it as many time as we physically can? The answer, Nothing! There is nothing that we will encounter in our daily life more challenging that absolute physical exertion. If you can push yourself to absolute failure, hard enough to the point of breaking, to the point where we become dizzy and nauseated, to the point our bodies are ready to shut down, it is there, we will find no thought, no confusion or contemplation just you and that moment and nothing else. If we were only able to harness that moment of absolute focus and hold it throughout our lives we would find that the challenges of daily life would be easier, simpler, and less stressful. We may become more temperate and compassionate. So many of life’s problems become miniscule when compared to the absolute physical exhaustion of a quality, intense weight lifting work out.

Some people walk into the weight room or the dojo and see only steel and mats, not me, I see a riddle, I see the lessons it has to offer and teach me. Some say that weightlifting is the fountain of youth and I think it is because of the lessons it can teach us physically and mentally. This same philosophy may apply to any physical exertion or training as long as you push yourself to the absolute end, where either the body quits and the mind pushes beyond or the mind quits and the body pushes on. This is where we learn about our true self. Try to tell that to the Jacksonville Jaguars running back, #34 Maurice Jones-Drew, that he cannot push though a defensive lines double or triple team (did I mention he is only 5’7” … and 208# !)

“There’s always room for one more”

GhostDog

This too shall pass

“Just be ordinary and nothing special. Relieve your bowels, pass water, put on your clothes, and eat your food. When you tired, go and lie down. Ignorant people may laugh at me, but the wise will understand” – Lin-chi

NOTES: The world can seem so problematic when we think too much but in reality “It is what it is”. We spend too much time thinking about things, thinking that there is a reason for things or that there is a deeper meaning. There is no deep meaning, there is no meaning at all, it just is. The Sky is blue and the grass is green. We need to breathe in air, drink water, eat food and stay warm to survive, that is it. “No-mind” – the paradox is for there to be no mind we have to have mind to understand no mind but in learning there is no mind we are really in mind and not no-mind and therefore detract from no-mind or what I also refer to as the absences of thought, a popular theme for me.

There is a tendency to over think things and or over think what someone else may be thinking or feeling and if we have a hard enough time controlling our own thoughts how are we to even consider the thoughts of others. Thoughts are like clouds, when we try to grasp at them they just slip through our grasp and trying to grasp at them is futile, oh, of course, there are those scholars out there that will tell you can fashion a reservoir of some type to trap the gasses in a cloud but, that is not the point here. Clouds do not effect out life most of the time, sure they may block out our sun every now and then but eventually they will pass and the sunshine through again. They may even come as a storm or even worse tornados or hurricanes but in the end they pass and with that passing they bring growth. We walk along our paths in life paying little attention to the clouds but they have so much to teach us. The clouds are so much a representation of our own thoughts that we need to treat our own thoughts just like we do the clouds. Watch them as they pass, maybe even laugh at the funny shapes they make and if they bring a storm just remind yourself that “This to shall pass”. Trying to control our thoughts is like trying to control the clouds, rather than control we should just observe and let them move on. For those that try to control there own thoughts will be like a dog chasing it’s tail (a short tail, for my scholarly friends looking for debate), around and around the dog goes until it is to tired to give chase anymore, never catching the tail and never achieving it’s goal.

Nature has so many lessons to teach us we are just too unaware to see the lessons. I often walk slowly when caught in a rainstorm, I even pretend that it is a bright sunny summer day, while walking in the rain. I do this to teach myself a lesson and lesson is it just doesn’t matter whether it is raining or sunny, the day is the same. No matter whether I move fast or slow I am going to get the same soaking. If we were to look at things in absolutes or black and white, it would boil down to; it is or it is not. I am alive or I am dead and everything in between is just a cloud passing over head. The basic needs of survival are shelter, water, fire (Warmth) and food, and outside from these basic needs, everything else is a distraction or waste of energy. In nature we learn “The conservation of energy”; if a deer was to expend too much energy in the winter it would mean certain death because a deer needs that energy to maintain warmth and bodily functions. Anger, hate, frustration, stress and many other “Passing Clouds” in our lives are energy wastes and nature teaches us not to conserve energy for our survival. Well, I am now starting to wonder in my mind and this is a good time to end this post.

Remember the passing clouds and how they relate to our own thoughts. Just let them pass by, even if it does blot out the sun. “This too shall pass”
Peace
GhostDog

I am I'm Me

I AM: I'M ME – Dee Snider “Twisted Sister”

WHO ARE YOU TO LOOK DOWN
AT WHAT I BELIEVE?
I'M ON TO YOUR THINKING
AND HOW YOU DECEIVE
WELL, YOU CAN'T ABUSE ME
I WON'T STAND NO MORE
YES, I KNOW THE REASONS
YES, I KNOW THE SCORE

I AM, AND I'LL BE
I WILL, YOU'LL SEE
I AM, AND I'LL BE
I AM: I'M ME

HOW I TRIED TO PLEASE YOU
LIVE THE WAY YOU SAID
DO THE THINGS THAT YOU DO
LIKE THE LIVING DEAD
THEN THE TRUTH IT HIT ME
GOT ME OFF MY KNEES
IT'S MY LIFE I'M LIVING
I'LL LIVE AS I PLEASE

I AM, AND I'LL BE
I WILL, YOU'LL SEE
I AM, AND I'LL BE
I AM: I'M ME

NOW'S THE TIME TO STAND TALL
START YOUR LIFE ANEW
FREEDOM LIES IN YOUR HEART
NOW'S THE TIME FOR YOU

I AM, AND I'LL BE
I WILL, YOU'LL SEE
I AM, AND I'LL BE
I AM: I'M ME
I AM, I'M ME I AM, I'M ME

CAN'T YOU SEE?, CAN'T YOU SEE?
I'M ME, I'M ME, ME, ME, ME, MEI AM: I'M MEI AM: I'M ME

CAN'T YOU SEE?, CAN'T YOU SEE?
I'M ME, I'M ME, I'M MEI AM: I'M MEI AM: I'M ME

CAN'T YOU SEE THAT I'M ME
I'M ME, I'M ME, LOOK AT ME
I AM: I'M ME
I AM: I'M ME

NOTES: It seems that the more I try to get in touch with the White Wolf inside me and balance myself, and then someone has to come along and kick the Black wolf in me. I do my best to balance Yin and Yang in my life and it is a struggle to maintain this balance. Due to many years of feeding my Black Wolf he is strong and extremely aggressive but as I move on in years I find this to be self defeating. I understand that there has to be a balance and the two Wolfs inside me are in a constant battle. I choose to feed the White Wolf only because he truly is the wiser of the two. I just cant seem to figure out why when the White Wolf is out in yard enjoying the sun and keeping watch over my life does someone come along and yang on the chain of the Black Wolf?! First he starts to growl, then he barks and they keep on yanking on the chain until he is damn near out of control.

“Why is Anger so hungry and Love so blind?” (That’s from a Steve Vai song). I suppose this may be due to the old adage that “Misery Loves Company”. When you find peace in you life you become out of context with the raging river of life. You find yourself on the shore wondering why someone would dare to swim in the river so out of control. But there I stand on the shore of life laughing at those riding the rapids of chaos and desperation, seeking adventure in external stimulus because they cannot find peace within. They see me on the shore and they go “Hey Dumbass!” “What are you doing up there on the shore? Are you scared to come in the river?” Nope, I just don’t what to be there. I will enjoy the sun and warmth of the day and be at peace with myself. But as I sit and enjoy the serenity of life on the shore, someone’s has to clamber on up the bank and try to pull me in. Well, I suppose I should feel compassion for those trying to yank me in but, as another saying goes, “Pull the tail of the tiger long enough and you will eventually get bitten”.

We all have choices in life, we can serve the greater good of mankind or we can serve ourselves although, self service is not the way of the Warrior.

Here is another quote from an old southern friend of mine I met while I was in the Military, “It’s not what you want that gets you pregnant, it’s what you get!” … this saying always makes me smile because it really is some deep meaning philosophy.

We want to be so many things in life that we sometimes forget that all we need to be is ourselves. The more we want the more we struggle and the more we struggle, the harder we try and before you know it you become something more or less than you wanted to begin with. I have played this game myself over the years until I came to the realization that “I am what I am and that’s all that I am”. I created an alter ego, one that made me feel “cool”, one that made me feel tough and I tried to become someone that others perceived as cool or someone they want to emulate but, I find the more I tried to roll play this character the more I actually began to believe I was that persona and not who I really was. At times of peace when I am alone with nature, reality sets in and I begin to hear the true voice of my inner self and it is not my alter ego. I find at times of peace I become lost and wonder how I got to that point to begin with. I roll played my persona so much that it actually consumed me and I became what I was not. I found that I had lost touch with those around me and those close to me. I created false friends who believed me to be something I was not. My world had been altered along with my perception of reality. I was a fake, I was a lie that I had sold to myself. In this deep realization my true self called to me and it felt like hearing the voice of an old friend and I welcomed him. I remembered who I truly was and what reality was, I was once again in the here and now, in the present, fully aware of myself and my surroundings and it felt good. I realized that I am my own character and I don’t need to pretend to be something or someone so that others will like me and look up to me. When we strive to be something someone else creates we are only fooling ourselves. It is good to break the chains of our conscious minds and submit to the reality of our true selves. Live “your” life not the life that someone else has created in a make believe world. There is nothing worse than to have someone see past the mask we wear and see a completely different person. It is like getting caught in a lie. Eventually people will see behind our masks and we can only hope that what they see is the same real person they saw to begin with. No lies, no actors, no stunt men or green screen, just our true self. When we see our self to we see we see something someone else created or do we see ourselves?

“Know thyself”. And “To thine own self be true”

GhostDog

Watch your thoughts and Language

This article is a reprint of an article by Christine Kane. Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her ‘LiveCreative’ weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com. WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE? See Christine’s blog - Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous - at ChristineKane.com/blog.

A few years ago, I was in a car with the promoter of one of my performances. He had picked me up at the airport and was driving me to my hotel. On the way, we talked guitars. We got onto the subject of Olson Guitars, arguably the best guitar in the whole world. At one point, the promoter said, “Yea, well, in my entire life I’ll never own an Olson guitar.”

There was a time when I’d let a remark like this slide on by, even adding my own “me either” to the mix. Now, I can’t. Yoda steps into my head and says, (in his Yoda voice) “So certain are you. Always with you it cannot be done.”

So, I turned to the promoter and said, “You are NOT allowed to say that!”
This is because I know the power of language. When you know that words become things, it’s hard to let language slide.

I can’t help it. I have a rule: Friends don’t let friends speak crappily.

Language is powerful. Words can create reality. Even if my promoter friend doesn’t know how on earth he’d ever get his guitar, it doesn’t mean he should cut off the possibility with his own words.

If you’re wondering how to begin watching your words, here are 7 practical language principles for becoming a better creator of your life.

1 - Eliminate “never” and “always.”
Never and always are words of hysteria. “I always mess everything up!” “I’ll never figure this out!” “I’ll never get an Olson Guitar.” First off, it’s not true. If you always messed everything up, you wouldn’t have made it out of the womb. And second off, extreme words are designed to hook you. It’s just your emotions taking a joyride. You’re more powerful than that.

2 - Use AND instead of BUT.
“But” dismisses the statement before it. “And” includes it. For instance, “That’s a good article, but it needs some editing” isn’t nearly as encouraging as “That’s a good article, AND it needs some editing.” “I love you, but…” is another great example of the dismissive power of “but.”

3 - Avoid “Should.”
Should is a heinous word for many reasons. It is victim-speak. It disempowers its object. It negates desires, thereby making it harder to make choices. It adds a nebulous energy to the decision making process. Use empowered language instead: “I could…” “I would…” “I am choosing to,” “I would like to,” “I don’t want to,” or “You might consider…”

4 - Stop calling yourself depressed.
Also stop allowing anyone to tell you that you are depressed. When you call yourself “depressed” or “obsessive compulsive” or “ADHD” or whatever - you’re claiming this thing. You’re calling it forth with the most powerful two words in our language: “I am.” That creates very little option for the transformation of this condition.

5 - Delete the word “hate” from your vocabulary.
“Hate” has lots of energy. When you use it, you send lots of energy out into the very thing you “hate.” Even if it’s negative energy, it’s still a powerful force, adding its charge to that thing. You’re also depleting this energy from your own spirit as you say it.

6 - Be “great.” Or “wonderful.”
A disease of the creative temperament is a belief that we must be authentic at all costs. So we can’t answer a simple “How are you?” without delving into an in-depth scan of our emotional temperature. Try this instead: When people ask you how you’re doing, just say, “I’m great!” I used to think if said this, then I better have a good reason for saying it, like I just won the lottery or something. I thought it would make me look suspicious, and people would start to wonder if something was wrong with me. But then I did it. And you know what? Most people don’t care why you’re great. You’re saying it for you.

7 - Pay attention to the music of your speech.
You know how some people? They talk in question marks? And you have no idea why? But it makes you think you shouldn’t really rely on them? And it makes you not want to hire them?

The music of your language says a lot about you. If you let your sentences droop like Eeyore, (”Thanks for noticing me.”) or if you do the uncertain question mark language, take note of what attitudes are causing this. These patterns are created for a reason. Even if it feels like faking it at first, generate confidence as you speak.

NOTES: As you can see by these mindless meanderings, I read, hear or experience things and use them as catalysts to enlighten my life. This is just one more example “AND” it is a very powerful concept. There are a couple of good movies / documentaries that apply to this same philosophy, they are: “What the Bleep do We Know” and “The Secret”.

What we say and what we imagine can shape the outcome of our potential futures as well as our attitudes emotions and even our character. I have a friend of mine who uses an image of Darth Vader as his wallpaper on his computer. Ii thought to myself and even asked him, is that what you want to become? You want to be consumed by evil and the dark side. Its interesting to note that this same friend is the one who emailed me this article. Positive images and affirmations are the Warriors way of programming our days and thoughts. We should use positive words that create positive energy. If we continually use the same positive words, statements, images and mental pictures we will become those positive energies.

As I woke up this morning and contemplated the meaning of life along with giving thanks for the day and all the treasures that I have, a word popped into my mind “Jerk” now I know someone who like to use this word when she describes someone who may have angered her. She is still young and has many lessons in life to learn. The thought still wandered around my mind at how the use of this word can affect her future as well as the perception of those people she uses this negative word for. Rather than saying that person is a Jerk she should take responsibility for her own emotions and be saying that “I” am angry.

People have a tendency to project their own angers and frustrations onto others. Other people do not create our anger or emotions, we create them ourselves. If someone cuts us off in traffic we become angry or upset, even spurred into road rage and retaliation, all for the most part over an incident that the other driver may be completely unaware of but, some people sit in their cars stewing and brewing over the incident until their heart rate rises along with their blood pressure and their whole day is ruined because of what? We create this anger and frustration.

We can create peace and love as well as anger and hostility, it is our choice to create the emotion and reactions that we “choose”. If we choose the negative side then we are responsibility for all the negative effects that go along with that. If we create positive energies then our days will be filled with peace and harmony.

What we see and how we feel on a daily basis will affect what we become. I choose peace and harmony, it brings a wondrous state of happiness to my life and the outcome of my days. Pleasure and Pain are just an impulse of the nerves, it is our own brain and how it has been programmed that dictates how it is thought, not necessarily felt.

Look into your own lives a see if there are areas that you are creating negative energy. Remember your projected energy can be felt by others and if it is negative, it will create negative reactions and situations. If it is positive then the same will be felt and returned. I can only feel compassion for those people that do not understand this way. They are in an endless loop of negativity created by themselves. I only hope that some day they will break the circle and see the world for they way it truly is “Just the World”. We are the creators of our own world, watch what you ask for, you just might get it!

I am the Peaceful Warrior,
I am the Samurai,

GhostDog